Former AU President and current astronomy professor Richard Berendzen said he will retire from teaching Aug. 31, after 26 years at AU.
Berendzen said his recent heart surgery made him consider retiring. His idea further evolved over time by telling Interim Provost Ivy Broder he was considering retirement but didn't have a precise time yet.
The choice is not an easy one, Berendzen said.
"It's very hard to know when to retire," Berendzen said. "[Academia] is like a giant family ... You don't retire from your family."
Berendzen said he will continue his work with NASA's D.C. Space Grant Consortium and would be willing to teach at AU after retiring.
"In class, he sounds like a storybook reader which I really enjoy," said Linda Beck, a sophomore in the School of Communication who took two science classes with Berendzen. "I'll go to class dead tired, but every class seems to go fast."
Berendzen was president of AU from 1980 to 1990, and resigned while being investigated for making harassing phone calls to women who advertised their baby-sitting services. He was treated for his condition at a sexual disorders clinic, and pleaded guilty to two related charges.
Broder's office declined to confirm Berendzen's retirement until official paperwork is complete.
According to Berendzen, official documents will be signed next week.
